


i'm someone you maybe might love

by xylophones



Series: i like you lots (High School AUs) [1]
Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alcohol, Alternate Universe - High School, Childhood Friends, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Getting Together, Growing Up, Growing Up Together, High School, Humor, Light Angst, M/M, Oblivious Victor Nikiforov, Pining, Teenagers, Underage Drinking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-12
Updated: 2017-07-12
Packaged: 2018-12-01 05:36:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11479746
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xylophones/pseuds/xylophones
Summary: Viktor sighs. “It’s nothing. It’s just––you never look at me like this.”“How am I looking at you?”“Like I’m someone special. Like I’m someone you might love.”Yuuri frowns. “You are someone I love.”Viktor shakes his head and laughs, just on this side of bitter. “Not like that, Yuuri.”(Or: Viktor is not as observant as he thinks he is.)





	i'm someone you maybe might love

**Author's Note:**

> title is from [Supercut by Lorde](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yL0MtGXNFIk) and tbh this entire thing exists because of the lines "in your car, the radio up/ we keep tryna talk about us/ i'm someone you maybe might love" 
> 
> Note on the underage drinking tag: they’re all 18 in this and i know that for most places outside the US it’s legal to drink at that age but!! In the US its 21!! So i’m tagging it just in case
> 
> Another thing: there are brief mentions of yuuri’s anxiety here but not enough that i thought it warranted the Mental Health Issues tag but still!! Be warned, it’s not talked about a lot but it’s in there.

Falling in love with Katsuki Yuuri is the worst thing that Viktor has ever done.

He’s suffering. _Suffering_ . It seems like everytime Viktor thinks that maybe he can get over him, Yuuri does something absolutely mind-blowing and Viktor is forced to lay down for a while and try to remind himself that Yuuri is his best _friend_ and is also not interested in dating.

Well. Viktor is used to the familiar burn of unrequited love when it comes to Yuuri. He’s been stewing for years, so what’s a little longer?

 

“Vitya!” One of Viktor’s moms, Katya, calls him from downstairs. “Vitya, you better get going! You’re going to be late.”

Viktor scoops up his bag and gives Makkachin a goodbye pat. “I’ll take you to the park later, Makka. Sorry for waking you up.”

Makkachin snuggles back into Viktor’s bed, looking fluffy and sleep mussed. Viktor melts a little bit. He loves his dog so much.

He thunders down the stairs, ignoring Yuri’s yells for him to be quieter. Yuri is in his last year of middle school and doesn’t need to be at school for another hour, the lucky brat. Viktor pops his head into his room to blow his little brother a kiss and gets a pillow thrown in his face for his efforts. He misses the days when Yuri was tiny and looked at Viktor like he was a superhero come to life. Now all he does is complain about how loud Viktor is and grumble that he doesn’t deserve Yuuri.

(“Katsudon is _cool_. He plays volleyball and collects model spaceships. What do you do?”)

Viktor passes his moms on his way to grab his keys. Angelica is in a sharp pencil skirt with her briefcase and keys on the counter next to her to-go coffee cup. Katya is still in her scrubs, having just come in from her night shift at the hospital. They’re making out against the kitchen island.

“Mama, Mom!” Viktor cries, averting his eyes. 

Angelica chuckles, straightening her blouse. The pastel purple looks gorgeous against her dark skin. Viktor tells her this.

“Flattery will get you everywhere, kid,” she says with a light laugh. She goes back to preparing her coffee.

“Good luck in court today, _dorogaya moya_ ,” Katya purrs.

Katya flicks Viktor’s bangs out of his eyes. “You know, I miss when your hair was longer. We matched!”

Angelica reaches over to play with Katya’s ponytail. “Maybe you should cut your hair to match Vitya’s again. You’d look hot with short hair, sweetheart.”

Viktor rolls his eyes, already tired of their flirting. You’d think after almost twenty years of marriage they’d get over it.

He hugs both of them goodbye and practically sprints out the door, throwing his stuff into his car and peeling out of his driveway to start the drive to Chris and Yuuri’s houses. When he pulls up, it takes him a solid minute to remember to unlock the doors so they can get in.

It’s just–– Yuuri is really cute.

He’s wearing a dark blue sweater today, one that matches his glasses frames and brings out his warm brown eyes. Viktor would bet his entire college fund that he’s wearing some t-shirt with a dorky science pun underneath. He’s got on his favorite pair of dark jeans, so tight that they hug his curvy thighs. He has his gym bag with him too, which he shoves into the legwell when he gets in Viktor’s car.

“Good morning, gorgeous,” Viktor greets him, purely to watch Yuuri’s face bloom a lovely cherry blossom pink.

“V-Vitya, good morning.” Yuuri smiles at him and just like that all of Viktor’s easy teasing and suave smiles go down the drain.

“Good morning to you too, Viktor. It’s so nice to see you,” Chris says loudly. He looks at Viktor pointedly through the rearview mirror. “I’m doing well, thanks for asking.”

Viktor waves a hand. “Chris. Where’s Phichit? I thought he was sleeping over last night?”

“There was something wrong with the power at my house,” Chris explains. “I had to stay over at Yuuri’s. He hogs the covers.”

“Hey, my house, my blankets,’” Yuuri says. “Anyway, it’s payback for taping a sign to your window that said ‘Help, I’m dying’ written on it in red ink. You almost gave me a heart attack.”

“So, are we picking up Phichit at his house?” Viktor asks, already pulling away from the curb.

Yuuri hums his affirmative, before turning around in his seat to continue complaining about why Chris is the worst neighbor. They have this argument at least once a week.

When they pick up Phichit, Viktor notices that he also has his gym bag with him.

“Are you two going to work out later?” he asks, a little hurt that they didn’t invite him and Chris.

“Oh, no. We have practice today,” Phichit answers.

“Practice? I thought you said it was canceled because Coach Celestino is sick?”

“He is.” Yuuri shrugs. “Ciao Ciao asked Phichit and I to watch over juniors and lead varsity while he was gone. He said we can’t afford to miss a single day of practice with the league finals coming up.”

Chris lets out a low whistle. “Wow, that’s a lot of trust.”

“Well, you know, we _are_ his favorites,” Phichit says, tossing his head in a way that would have resulted in a graceful hair flip if he had long enough hair for it.

Yuuri rolls his eyes. “It’s because half the junior team has a crush on Phichit, so they do whatever he says.”

Phichit sputters, trying to deny it.

“Will you make it to the debate meeting today, then?” Viktor asks.

“Yeah, I’ll be there. I have an hour after school before juniors practice starts.”

“Hey, you guys don’t have practice on Friday, do you?” Chris asks. “Beacause––”

“The play is on Friday,” Phichit, Yuuri, and Viktor all finish in unison. Chris grins.

“I was starting to worry that you guys would forget!”

“How can we forget when you won’t shut up about being 'stabbed for love’ on stage by your new boyfriend?”

“He’s not my boyfriend,” Chris sniffs, “––  _yet_.”

Yuuri groans in exasperation while Phichit asks Chris for an update on the gossip within the drama department. Then Yuuri starts lecturing them on spreading rumors and falling into teenage stereotypes. Viktor grins.

He really has the worst ( _best_ ) friends.

 

 ❤

Debate practice is always the worst.

Not because Viktor doesn’t like having Yuuri as a partner. He _loves_ having Yuuri as his partner. He wouldn’t debate with anyone else on the entire planet, not even if you paid him. He and Yuuri are a team, a unified front. They will absolutely destroy anyone you put in front of them. It’s why they’re co-captains of their school’s speech and debate team. If Viktor and Yuuri are on the floor, you’d better prepare to go home sad and trophy-less.

(There’s this fantastic picture of the two of them, shot from behind them as they lift the Nationals trophy above their heads. Their faces are turned towards each other, smiles just barely visible against the backlit glare of the stage lights. Their last names are printed in bold letters across the back of their matching Grand Prix High Speech and Debate Squad jackets.

Nikiforov and Katsuki. The dream team. That picture is Viktor’s phone background.)

They’re complimentary. They play off of each other's’ strengths and make up for each other’s weaknesses. While Viktor is better at prep, Yuuri is unbeatable when it comes to cross-examination. Yuuri will talk circles around them while Viktor hits them with the cold, hard facts.  They’re focused, driven, a well-oiled machine.

Well. They are when Viktor isn’t distracted.

“You’re wearing your ugly tie again,” Viktor notes, catching Yuuri in the hall on his way to the meeting.

Yuuri wrinkles his nose. He’s changed from his comfortable blue sweater into the grey suit he usually wears whenever they do formal debate related things. Viktor drools a little. He’s crisp and well put together, the seriousness of his look is softened by his chunky blue glasses frames and mussed up hair.

“It’s my lucky tie,” Yuuri defends. “I wore it when we won Nationals.”

Viktor rolls his eyes. He wants to burn that tie. He also wants to use it to reel Yuuri in for a kiss, but he really shouldn’t be thinking about that. That way lies only madness.

“When we win Nationals this year I’m going to destroy it and buy you five newer, better ties.”

“ _If_ we win Nationals again.”

Viktor grins. “ _When.”_

Yuuri huffs, but he doesn’t lecture Viktor on being too cocky like he’d usually do. Instead, he grabs Viktor’s elbow and steers them into Mr. Feltsman’s classroom.

They have an unusually large number of sign-ups this year, probably due to the overall success of the team last year. That, and a letter of recommendation from Madame Lilia Baranovskaya will get you into any college and she famously has a soft spot for her speech and debate kids.

(Both her _and_ Mr. Feltsman are exceptionally fond of Yuuri, which Viktor thinks is unfair considering Yakov is _his_ godfather, not Yuuri’s.)

“Madame Lilia and Yakov can’t make it today,” Yuuri tells him. “She said they have a staff meeting or something.”

“Aren’t we, like, not supposed to have a meeting without adult supervision?”

“We’re adults,” Yuuri says. “We’re both eighteen.”

“I mean _real_ adults. Or teacher supervision or whatever.”

Yuuri shakes his head and leads Viktor to the front of the room, opening the drawers of Mr. Feltsman’s desk with a key and taking out a heavy stack of papers before locking it again. He puts the stack in Viktor’s arm and gestures to the freshman gathered in the back of the room.

“Tell them to grab a seat and make sure everyone gets an information packet,” Yuuri commands.

“You’re so sexy when you’re being bossy,” Viktor teases, “ _Mr. President.”_

Yuuri scowls. “Stop or I’ll have you impeached, Mr. _Co-_ President.”

Viktor passes out the packets while Yuuri and some of the other senior speech and debate kids give a short power point explaining what the club is and what they do. Then he gives them a short break to look through the packet and ask questions.

Yuuri, somehow, still doesn’t think he’s meant for leadership which baffles Viktor. He’s shy and sometimes lacks confidence, but he’s also fiercely determined and ferociously efficient. He just needs the right people next to him, and given the choice, Viktor would stay by his side for the rest of his life.

He thinks about this while he walks around the room, observing the new kids, looking for someone to help. Two girls flag him down, one of them with brilliant red hair and the other with striking violet eyes.

“Hi, Viktor right? Co-President?” The first one asks, holding out a hand. “I’m Mila and this is Sara.”

“Hello,” Viktor greets. “Did you two have a question?”

“We joined because we wanted to improve our public speaking skills, but we’re both kind of shy,” Sara says. “We were wondering if it gets easier the longer you do it?”

“Yes! You remind me of my darling Yuuri,” Viktor says, clapping his hands together. “When we joined in our first year he was so shy! The only reason he agreed is because I blackmailed him into it.”

Mila and Sara exchange a glance and then stare wide-eyed back at him.

Viktor waves a hand. “It wasn’t serious. I threatened to tell his sister that he stole her nail polish, not a big deal. Anyway, Yuuri is really shy and it took a lot of preparation, but the first time he was on the debate floor it was like he was a completely different person. He still gets nervous, but it’s better now. Plus, he has me to help him!”

“Wow,” Mila says. “So, it’s fine after the first match?”

“The first match is kind of intense, but you’ll get the hang of it,” Viktor reassures them. “Yuuri was unsure at first, but I encouraged him and we’ve been partners ever since!”

“That’s beautiful,” Sara says. She reaches over and takes Mila’s hand. “Your relationship is so cute.”

“Oh no, we’re not––” Viktor sputters–– “uh, Yuuri and I aren’t dating. We’re just… partners.”

Viktor looks up, eyes automatically finding Yuuri where he’s talking to some other freshmen across the room. They lock eyes and Viktor tries to smile at him, but Yuuri is already looking away.

(It’s always like that. Just when Viktor thinks something might happen, Yuuri looks away.)

“Oh, sorry,” Mila says slowly, following Viktor’s gaze across the room, “I guess we misunderstood.”

Mila gives him a look that says she sees right through him. Viktor gulps.

“Well, I think we’re going to start wrapping things up, so I’ll just go.”

He retreats back to Yuuri’s side, touching his elbow lightly so he knows he’s there. Yuuri wraps up his conversation and then looks around at their new members.

“Hmm, I guess that’s it for today? What do you think, Vitya?”

“Yeah, I think that’s it? Maybe we can see if they have any questions for us now?”

Yuuri nods and then claps his hands together, bringing the attention of the entire room back to him.

“Alright, that’s it for today. The meeting is officially done, but you’re welcome to stay if you guys have any questions?” Yuuri adjusts his glasses nervously. “I mean, I might not be able to answer all of them, but we have a couple of our other senior debaters here, too.”

“Um, Yuuri?” One of the new ones asks hesitantly, raising their hand. “Do you have any advice in picking a partner?”

“Oh, well, yes picking your partner is important. Unless you get stuck with someone who will whine endlessly if you don’t pick him.” He waves a hand at Viktor and rolls his eyes affectionately while the room titters.

Viktor gives him an exaggerated pout. “Hey!”

Yuuri spares him a quick smile. “Okay, but seriously. It’s a real advantage if you and your partner get along. For example, Viktor and I are perfect for each other.”

Viktor chokes on air. He turns his face away and hopes the freshmen don’t point out how red he’s getting.

“Our debate styles compliment each other well and it’s really easy for us to communicate strategies and ideas, sometimes without even speaking. But, uh, also I guess we’re kind of a special case since we’ve known each other for so long? So, mingle around and get to know people before you pick. You can always partner with other people, you don’t have to stick to the same partner the entire time.”

Viktor catches Mila smirking at him from across the room. Her eyes flick over to Yuuri and she raises an eyebrow. She mouths ‘perfect for each other’ at him. Viktor wants to crawl under a desk and never leave, who gave a freshman the right to be this intuitive?

“Anything to add to that, Vitya?” Yuuri asks him. Viktor snaps back to attention.

“Well, don’t worry if you can’t get a partner as good as my Yuuri,” he says, flashing them all a winning smile.  _The_ winning smile.

“Remember: if you can’t blind them with your brilliance, baffle them with your bullshit.”

 

 ❤

The next Thursday, Yuuri stops Viktor on his way to his car.

He’s wearing a pair of spandex shorts and an athletic shirt, his hair swept back from his face with one of Mari’s headbands and about a million bobby pins. It’s a cute look.

“Viktor!” Yuuri calls, jogging across the parking lot. “Hey, wait!”

Viktor raises an eyebrow. “Aren’t you supposed to be in practice? Do you need a ride or something?”

“Ah, no, I don’t need a ride. And yeah, I’m supposed to be in the gym, but I wanted to catch you before you left.”

Viktor tilts his head to the side, puzzled. “Is everything okay?”

“Y-Yeah, I, uh, just wanted to ask you something.” Yuuri shifts from foot to foot. He twists his fingers together and looks up at Viktor before breaking eye contact and looking back down at the ground.

“Well?” he asks, once it’s clear that Yuuri isn’t going to continue. “ _Solnyshko_ , whatever it is it’ll be okay. Do you need anything? Are you… feeling anxious?”

“Yes,” Yuuri says, flushing, “but, it’s, um, a good kind of anxious.”

Viktor waits for Yuuri to elaborate, but he doesn’t. He opens his mouth a couple times but nothing comes out. Finally, he laughs, shaking out the tension in his shoulders.

“Sorry, sorry,” he says, smiling up at Viktor shyly. “I’m nervous. Um, do you want to, maybe, go out with me? Tomorrow? We could watch the new Captain America movie.”

Viktor has already promised Yuri he would watch the new film with him but he quickly throws those plans out the window. Yuri will forgive him for the betrayal. Eventually. Besides, it’s rare that Yuuri asks him to hang out less than a week in advance, so he must be feeling pretty anxious about something. Viktor doesn’t understand why Yuuri can’t tell him what it is now, but if watching a movie will help him feel better than Viktor is glad to go with him.

“Sure!” he says. “You know how much I love superhero movies.”

“Really?” Yuuri grins. “That’s–– okay! Yeah, okay! I have to go back to practice now, but, um, see you tomorrow?”

Yuuri darts in quickly and hugs him, wrapping himself around Viktor’s taller frame. He smells like sandalwood and laundry detergent and sweat. It’s an odd mix, but Viktor likes it. He smells like home.

“Pick me up at seven?” Yuuri asks, jogging backward so Viktor can still see the grin lighting up his face.

“Seven!” Viktor calls. He stands there until Yuuri disappears back into the gym.

 

“You're nervous,” Viktor notices.

“I’m not,” Yuuri protests but Viktor can see him biting his lip and fidgeting in his seat.

When Viktor picked him up a couple of minutes ago he immediately noticed that something was wrong. Yuuri is a little more dressed up than usual, wearing one of his patterned short-sleeved button downs instead of his usual comfy sweatshirts. He only does this when he’s feeling stressed and trying to appear like he’s not.

(Over the years Viktor has become an expert at noticing when Yuuri is distressed. Only Mari and Phichit are more attuned to Yuuri's anxiety level than he is.)

“You are.” Viktor frowns. “Why are you nervous?”

“Sorry,” Yuuri says. “I know we hang out all the time. I don't know why I'm making such a big deal out of it.”

“Hey, don't worry,” Viktor soothes. He stops the car at a red light and reaches over to touch Yuuri's hand. “It's just me.”

He smiles reassuringly. The tension drains out of Yuuri's frame.

“You're right, it's just you. Viktor, my nerdy best friend.”

“Hey, I'm a _cool_ nerd, okay? And don't lie, you've been waiting for this movie since the first one came out!”

“Yeah, but I don't have an entire wall of my bedroom dedicated to Marvel posters.”

“You have an entire wall dedicated to posters of Stephane Lambiel, though.”

Yuuri blushes. He counters with, “You didn't speak to me for two entire weeks when we were 13 because I accidentally spilled milk tea on one of your comics.”

“It was in mint condition! I'm still mad about it!”

“Mad enough to not see the movie with me?”

“No,” Viktor says easily. “Plus, you're right. I am a giant nerd and I can't have anyone else know. But from now on you're not allowed to make fun of me.”

“Even if you start crying?”

“ _Especially_ if I start crying.”

They spend the rest of the drive there teasing each other. It’s easy. Viktor forgets how easy it is sometimes, to just be near him. It’s the kind of effortless banter that you only see in movies.

But Viktor and Yuuri are better than any movie script could be.

There’s a scene where Captain America takes his shirt off. Viktor gasps “I’m gay” intending for only Yuuri to hear it but it comes louder than expected. The people around them turn to look at him and Yuuri dies of laughter.

They giggle about it all the way home.

(Viktor wants so badly for this to be a date. When he gets home, Yuri even teases him about it being a date. He gives Viktor a pitying look when Viktor explains that they only went out to take Yuuri’s mind off his anxiety.)

 

 ❤

The gym is fairly crowded when Viktor, Chris, and Yuri enter to watch Yuuri and Phichit’s last game.

“Ah, I love volleyball games,” Chris says. “All these cute boys in spandex.”

Viktor smacks him on the arm lightly. “Don’t objectify our friends like that.”

“I’m simply appreciating their–– what’s the word?” Chris grins slyly. “ _Ass-_ ets. Especially Yuuri’s.”

Yuri pretends to retch. He glares at Chris. “Don’t be gross. I’m going to go sit over there, with people who want to watch the game for actual _sports_.”

He stomps off. Chris watches him go with a chuckle.

“He’s probably going to take notes on his phone,” Chris says. “Is he still trying to get Yuuri to coach him?”

Viktor nods. “He tried to get Yuuri to let him try out for the junior team this year, but Yuuri wouldn’t let him since he’s not in high school yet. You know, I don’t think he knows that you have to attend the school in order to play on our volleyball team.”

“Yuuri has the patience of a saint,” Chris says.

“He really is too good for us.”

“True,” Chris says. “I know that you and Phichit love to argue over who loves him more, but both of you forget that I’ve known him the longest. Where were you when he scraped his knee for the first time? Yuuri and I have a friendship that will survive the end of the universe.”

“Okay, first of all: rude. Secondly, that’s not fair, you’re neighbors. Unfair advantage.”

Chris smiles easily. “I’m just teasing, Vitya, no need to get jealous. I’m sure you’re still his favorite and I’m still _your_ best friend, too.”

Viktor squawks. “I wasn’t jealous! Of you _or_ Yuuri! All four of us are equal in this friendship.”

“Mhmm, you keep telling yourself that.”

Viktor and Chris continue to banter while they try to find seats. Viktor forgets sometimes just how good of a friend Chris is. He thinks, for a brief moment, that whoever Chris ends up marrying is really lucky.

Once they sit down Chris pulls out two signs. One has Phichit’s number on it in pink glitter and the words ‘I wish I was a volleyball so you’d hit me all day’ in cursive. The other one, for Yuuri, reads ‘#11 can touch me more than three times.’

“ _Chris_ ,” Viktor hisses. Chris tries to hand him Yuuri’s sign. “ _Christophe Giacometti_ , there are children here.”

“C’mon, Viktor, show some support!” Chris grins.

“I don’t need a sign,” Viktor says haughtily. He waves around his sunflowers and tupperware container.

Chris whistles. “His favorite flowers and some homemade cookies? Well, aren’t you the best boyfriend in the world.”

Viktor scowls. “I brought Phichit cookies too. Don’t tease me. I’m trying to cheer him up. He’s sad that it’s the last game he’ll play with his team.”

“Cute,” Chris says, but he lets the subject of Viktor’s desperate wish to be Yuuri’s boyfriend drop.

If Yuuri is a shark on the debate floor, he’s an absolute _machine_ on the volleyball court.

He and Phichit play in a perfect rhythm. They yell at each other a lot, which is adorable because when they’re not in front of the net they finish each other's sentences. The rest of the team responds to them naturally, playing off the unstoppable force that is the Katsuki-Chulanont duo.

Viktor’s not gonna lie, he knows almost nothing about volleyball. He’s been to every single game that Yuuri has ever played and yet his knowledge is still limited to keeping the ball in the air and not going outside the lines. Or something like that. To be fair, when Yuuri’s playing it’s a little difficult to focus on rules.

It’s a close game. Their opponent, the Karasuno High team, is good.

(“Our team is better,” Viktor says.

“I agree, but we might be slightly biased,” Chris says.)

It’s the last set and Viktor’s starting to get antsy. He has total faith in their team–– how can he not when two of his best friends are playing?–– but he wants _so_ badly for them to win. It’s their last game, one last team push before the seniors leave next year. Viktor knows how much the team means to Yuuri and Phichit. He just wants the two of them to be satisfied with the way they leave things.

The other team serves the ball, sending it arcing through the air towards their team. Minami, a new addition to the varsity team, clasps his hands together and bumps it towards Yuuri. Viktor holds his breath.

Yuuri sets the ball, arm muscles poised and perfect. The ball seems to hang in the air for a moment, weightless, until Phichit smacks it down in a spike with enough force to shake the entire world.

It’s the winning point. Yuuri tackles Phichit onto the court, laughter filling up the entire gym.

“He’s amazing,” Viktor sighs, never taking his eyes off Yuuri. Next to him, Chris giggles.

“Wow, you really are smitten with him, aren’t you?” Chris says. “Who knew the great Viktor Nikiforov’s heart would be ensnared by our little katsudon?”

“I know, I’m kind of pathetic,” Viktor says, “but I haven’t given up hope yet.”

“Why would you give up hope?”

“I’m pretty sure my feelings for Yuuri are stronger than his feelings for me.”

Chris gives him a look. “Um. Are you sure about that?”

He gestures to the court, where Yuuri and Phichit’s teammates have hoised them onto their shoulders. Yuuri catches Viktor’s eye and waves, looking flushed and gorgeous. Viktor waves back, his heart caught in his throat.

“Smitten,” Chris chuckles.

 

 ❤

On Wednesday, Viktor comes over to Yuuri’s house under the guise of studying. They actually end up piling their textbooks into a forgotten corner and just lay next to each other on Yuuri’s bed, scrolling through their phones and sending each other dog memes and pasta recipes.

“Vitya,” Yuuri calls him from where he’s sprawled out on Viktor’s left. He rolls until they’re face-to-face and shoves his phone under Viktor’s nose. “Look, homemade dog treats. We should make them for Makka and Vicchan.”

“Ooh, send that to me.”

“Okay.” Yuuri copies the link and then opens up his messaging app to send it to Viktor.

Viktor glances over and nearly drops his own phone onto his face. He stares at Yuuri’s phone, where the screen is displaying his contact info. “You… that’s my name on your phone?”

Yuuri blushes. “Yes?”

He’s listed under ‘Vitya’ with a full rainbow of heart emojis and a stray sparkle emoji thrown in at the end. Viktor’s heart leaps. Yuuri is not typically someone who uses heart emojis–– or emoticons in general–– for someone’s name on his phone. Even Phichit’s name is only accompanied by a lone snake emoji. Viktor doesn't know what this means.

“I, uh, thought it was cute?” Yuuri says. He pastes in the link and then exits the messaging app. “Ah, I’m embarrassed. I’m such a sap, I know.”

Viktor stares. He opens up his own messaging app and tilts the screen towards Yuuri, showing him just how many heart emojis Viktor has put under his name. It’s embarrassing. Viktor thinks he may have used every heart emoticon he could find.

“Oh,” Yuuri says, delighted. “Well, aren’t we a couple of typical millennials, using emojis to communicate affection.”

“Middle-aged men with internet blogs are probably foaming at the mouth.”

“‘Gay Teens Use Elaborate Emoji Code: The End of Written Word?’” Yuuri says with a straight face. Viktor chuckles.

“You joke,” he huffs, “but I bet that article actually exists, somewhere.”

“Yeah, well, I’m gay and I’m going to use as many emojis as I want,” Yuuri says.

Later, Yuuri texts him a paragraph made entirely of heart emojis.

 

 ❤

Viktor’s having a bad day.

He was late to his study session with Yuuri. They agreed to meet at the library at 10 and Viktor had shown up at 10:34, in ugly sweats with his bangs pinned back with one of his Mama’s hair pins, flustered because he _hates_ being late.

Yuuri waved off his apologies. They don’t actually use their study sessions to study _together_ , after all. They have all of the same teachers, but in some cruel twist of fate, not at the same times. They usually just sit together quietly and work on individual projects.

Viktor loves just sitting near Yuuri. He loves that they’re the kind of friends that don’t need to talk constantly. They can just be in each others’ space and that’s enough.

These study sessions (“No they’re not study _dates_ , Chris, shut up.”) typically calm him down, but today–– this week, this month, this _entire year_ –– has just been so hectic. Viktor feels like he never gets a break. As soon as he’s done with one thing, there’s something else that he needs to do.

Yuuri lets him huff and stew for a little before he brings it up.

“Vitya,” he calls quietly, “is something wrong?”

“No,” Viktor says. He looks down at the plans for next week's pep rally, which he’s been staring at blankly for the past ten minutes.

Yuuri gives him a look. Viktor cracks.

“It’s just–– _everything!_ ” Viktor throws his hands up in frustration. “I’m worried about our next debate match and my grades and balancing out my social life and student council duties. And on top of that, college decisions come in soon. I’m just… overwhelmed.”

“Vitya,” Yuuri says softly, “I had no idea you were so stressed. You can talk to me about these things, you know. You don’t need to bottle it all up.”

Viktor sighs. “I know, I just… didn’t want to bother you. You have your own stuff to deal with.”

“Hey, no,” Yuuri says sternly. “Your stuff is my stuff. I _always_ have time to listen to you.”

Yuuri reaches across the table and takes Viktor’s hand. Yuuri tangles their fingers together, stroking his thumb across the back of Viktor’s hand soothingly.

“It’s gonna be okay.” Yuuri says it with such conviction that Viktor has no choice but to believe him. “Don’t worry about the speech and debate stuff. Now that the season’s done I won’t have volleyball practice anymore so I can take care of it. If you’re feeling stressed about your grades then we can have more study sessions. We’ll invite Phichit and Chris so you don’t feel like you’re ignoring your friends.”

Yuuri squeezes his hand. Then his smile turns distinctly sharklike.

“And I’ll yell at your useless student council members to get their shit together so you’re not doing five people’s jobs,” he says cheerfully. Viktor gapes. Yuuri _never_ swears. He falls a little more in love.

“What would I do without you?” Viktor wonders out loud. He clings to Yuuri’s hand as if he might be ripped away at any moment.

“I don’t know, probably collapse into a heap,” Yuuri jokes.

Viktor doesn’t laugh.

“Really, though. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“Viktor,” Yuuri says slowly, “I don’t know if you’re aware, but you’re kind of a superhero? You don’t need me.”

“But I _do_ ,” Viktor says, just on this side of desperate. “Yuuri, what if we don’t go to the same school? What if––”

“We talked about this,” Yuuri interrupts, “remember? That conversation we had about not planning our entire lives around each other? We’re going to be fine.”

“But, aren’t you worried that we’ll drift apart?”

“I’m _always_ worried,” Yuuri says, “but not about this.”

He waves a hand between them. Viktor bites his lip.

“I’m just not sure this is going to work out,” he says, insecurity seeping into his voice.

Yuuri’s gaze turns sharp. “Listen to me, Viktor. People drift because they don’t put the effort into checking up with each other. We’ll get busy and we won’t see each other as often, but I told you, I will never be too busy for you. Don’t you believe in us enough to put in the effort?”

“Of course,” Viktor gulps.

Yuuri beams. “Good. It’s different for us, you know? I know we’ll work out. It’s like–– we’re too tangled up at this point. I know it sounds like a line from a bad romantic comedy, but you don’t need to be physically near me to always be with me.”

Viktor thinks he might start crying. “How do you always know how to make me feel better?”

“I’ve been your shoulder to cry on for years, Vitya,” Yuuri says with a wink. A _wink._ “Don’t you remember that time you lost your favorite dinosaur? You cried for _days._ It was like having my own personal raincloud.”

Viktor ducks his head, a pleased smile worming its way onto his face. “I wish you’d stop bringing up all these embarrassing childhood memories.” Yuuri laughs lightly.

“I should get back to my essay,” he says. He doesn’t pull his hand away.

“Yeah,” Viktor says. He doesn’t pull his hand away either.

Yuuri glances at their joined hands and lets out a chuckle. He turns back to his laptop and starts typing with one hand.

(It takes them _hours_ to get anything done but Viktor refuses to be the one to let go. Viktor tries not to freak out about it. Yuuri holds hands with Phichit all the time. This is just like that, nevermind that he and Viktor haven’t held hands like this since they were kids. Viktor would rather eat his own calculus homework than break the moment.)

 

It turns out that Viktor didn’t need to worry about breaking the moment, because after that day at the library, Yuuri holds his hand all the time.

(Even when it’s an inconvenience. Viktor’s heart flutters a little every time.)

Phichit notices during lunch one day. He locks eyes with Viktor, smirking, and reaches over the table to hold Yuuri’s other hand. Then Chris starts to feel left out so he takes both Phichit and Viktor’s hands until the four of them are sitting in a circle and holding hands like they’re summoning the demons of cafeteria mystery meat.

“This is ridiculous,” Yuuri says. No one lets go.

Viktor shifts. He’s pretty sure his palm is sweaty. “Can’t I just hold Yuuri’s hand without it being a big deal?”

Chris pouts. “What happened to all of us being equal in this friendship?”

“Yeah, just because you two are in love doesn’t mean the rest of us should be deprived of hand holding,” Phichit says. Yuuri blushes but he doesn’t correct him. Viktor’s stomach flips.

“Ugh.” Yuuri untangles himself from both Phichit and Viktor. “There, no one gets hand holds. Equality.”

Phichit’s teasing doesn’t stop them for long. It turns out that Yuuri really, _really_ likes holding hands with Viktor and, well, Viktor’s not complaining.

(They walk into debate practice holding hands and Mila shoots him another look. He shakes his head at her. She smirks.)

Viktor is usually the more tactile one. He loves resting his head against Yuuri’s shoulder or leaning on his side when they watch TV. It’s not that Yuuri was ever uncomfortable with this, he just never initiated anything.

Now, it’s like they’re never _not_ touching. Yuuri will sit down right next to him, close enough that they’re pressed together from thigh to shoulder. He’ll sling his arm across the back of Viktor’s chair and play with the short hair at the base of his skull. His new favorite thing to do is to lock their ankles together under the table whenever they’re sitting across from each other.

It’s not a big deal. But it makes the small, possessive thing inside Viktor’s chest purr. He likes that people will look over and see how close they are. He hopes they assume they’re dating.

It’s the worst kind of torture, knowing that they’re so close to being something more.

But not quite.

 

❤ 

It gets worse once Yuuri starts kissing him.

It starts off innocently enough. They’re in Yuuri’s room, studying for their chemistry test with their textbooks and notes spread out in haphazard piles around them. Yuuri and Viktor are nestled close together in the eye of the storm. They’ve abandoned studying in favor of swapping lab day horror stories.

“I walked into class wearing sandals and I swear I saw the fire of hell burning in Mr. Hannemann’s eyes,” Viktor says. “He made me wear gloves on my feet. Gloves! On my feet!”

Yuuri laughs and it’s like watching sunlight break through the clouds after a heavy storm. Viktor swears his laugh is a tangible thing, all syrupy and golden like honey. Viktor wants to bottle it up and keep it for rainy days. When Yuuri’s laughter subsides he gives Viktor a small smile, lips twitching up as if he’s trying to hold back another giggle. His eyes are sparkling.

Viktor suddenly realizes how close their faces are.

Yuuri seems to realize it too because his expression shifts slightly. His gaze flickers down to Viktor’s mouth and then back up again. He licks his lips.

“Can I?” Yuuri whispers.

“Yes,” Viktor says, not really knowing what he’s asking for.

And then Yuuri kisses him and Viktor _dies._

It’s the best thing to ever happen to him. Yuuri kisses him hesitantly at first, just a gentle press of his lips. He pulls back to look at Viktor for a moment but then he’s diving in again, kissing him more firmly this time. Yuuri presses in closer, sliding his slightly parted mouth over Viktor’s, tongue flickering out to run along the seam of his lips. Viktor breathes out harshly, hands automatically coming up to cup Yuuri’s face, tangle his fingers in his hair. Yuuri licks into his mouth and Viktor honestly sees stars.

Yuuri pulls back and, without thinking, Viktor tries to chase his lips. Yuuri chuckles and gives him one final kiss before pulling back completely.

“Wow,” Yuuri says, his cheeks flushed, “that was nice. We should probably keep reviewing, though.”

He turns back to his notebook and starts listing off some common acids. Viktor is dumbstruck. _Nice?_ It was _nice?_ Yuuri’s going back to his books like it’s completely normal for them to make out in the middle of a study session.

Viktor decides to let it go for now. He can still hear his own heartbeat thundering in his chest. He needs to calm down. They’ll talk about it later.

 

They don’t talk about it later.

Yuuri doesn’t bring it up and Viktor is afraid that if he asks, Yuuri will laugh and say it was just an experiment. Or worse, he’ll admit that he knows about Viktor’s feelings and was just humoring him.

(Viktor knows that Yuuri would never do that. He’s too nice to ever intentionally play with Viktor’s emotions. But sometimes, in the dead of night when he can’t sleep, Viktor worries that Yuuri knows that Viktor is head over heels in love and he just doesn’t care.)

They don’t talk about it, but Yuuri keeps kissing him. Sometimes in the car after Viktor drives him home, sometimes in between studying for tests. One time they’re alone in Yuuri’s house on a Sunday morning and in the middle of making pancakes, Yuuri leans over and kisses him.

(Viktor burns the pancakes.)

He doesn’t know what prompts Yuuri to kiss him. All he knows is that Yuuri only kisses him when they’re alone and he never talks about it.

On Friday they spend ten minutes making out in Viktor’s car in the parking lot after a debate tournament. They won, like they always do. Viktor wonders, briefly, if the kissing is Yuuri’s way of rewarding him.

Suddenly, Viktor _needs_ to know.

“Yuuri,” he says, pulling away. Yuuri whines, his pupils dilated and hair messy from where Viktor had run his fingers through it. “What are we?”

Yuuri grimaces. “Don’t get all philosophical on me now, Vitya. We’re people.”

“No, but _what are we_?”

“Okay, yes, I get it. People are just sacks of organs and bones controlled by a squishy grey lump of flesh. Very deep. You’re the next Plato. Shut up and kiss me.”

Viktor–– because he’s weak–– shuts up and kisses him.

 

 ❤

“Hey,” Yuuri whispers, “Vitya, hey.”

Viktor looks up from where he’d been half-heartedly taking notes. It’s unusual for Yuuri to be anything but one-hundred-percent laser focused in class. To be fair, Ms. Werth is being exceptionally dull today.

“Yeah?”

“Are you doing anything this weekend?”

Viktor thinks. “No, I don’t think so.”

“Do you wanna go to the beach? It’s supposed to be really hot on Saturday and we haven’t been in a while. We can take Makka and Vicchan!”

“Sure!” Viktor grins. “Are we inviting Yurio? Did you already ask Chris and Phichit?”

“No,” Yuuri flashes him a secretive smile. “I was hoping it could just be the two of us?”

“Oh,” Viktor says, “oh, y-yeah. Okay.”

The beach. With Yuuri. Alone. Viktor can’t stop his brain from running away with a fantasy of the two of them kissing lazily on a beach towel while their dogs play together in the surf.

“Nikiforov! Katsuki,” Ms. Werth snaps suddenly, “pay attention.”

Yuuri smiles sheepishly. “Sorry, Ms. Werth.”

Ms. Werth’s glare softens, because _everyone_ has a soft spot for Yuuri. Viktor completely understands why.

“So, Saturday?” Yuuri whispers to him, once Ms. Werth has turned back around. “Pick me up at eight?”

“Saturday at eight,” Viktor confirms, and he can’t push down the flare of hope that ignites in his chest.

 

On Saturday, Viktor’s moms tease him within an inch of his life.

“I don’t know _how_ you tricked Katsudon into going on a date with you, but whatever,” Yuri says to him on his way out.

“Ooh, a beach date with Yuuri?” Katya purrs. “Have fun, darling.”

“I know he’s distracting, but please try to watch out for Makka,” Angelica jokes.

“ _Mom, Mama_ ,” Viktor whines, feeling a light flush crawl up his cheeks. “Stop making fun of me. It’s not a date.”

“Mhmm,” Katya hums, “sure it isn’t, _k_ _otyonok_.”

“Okay, I’m going,” Viktor says, trying to leave before they can tease him some more. Katya and Angelica look at each other. Viktor swears they have an entire conversation with just eyebrow lifts and small smiles. 

In sync, they both swoop in to kiss Viktor’s cheeks, sandwiching his face in between theirs and making exaggerated kissy noises. Viktor laughs and bats them away. Yuri snorts into his cereal.

“That used to be easier when you were smaller,” Katya says. “I have to go up on my tiptoes to reach you now.”

“Bye, Mama.” Viktor leans down and kisses Katya’s cheek first, and then Angelica’s. “Bye, Mom. See you later.”

“Invite Yuuri over for dinner, later,” Angelica says. “We haven’t seen him in forever. You’re hogging him.”

“Yeah!” Yuri says loudly. “Stop hogging Katsudon!”

After that, Viktor picks up Yuuri with minimal fuss, besides the usual ten minutes spent letting Vicchan and Makkachin chase each other around until they’ve burnt off enough energy to sit in the back of Viktor’s convertible without whining.

“Ready?”

“Let’s go!”

The drive down to the beach is relaxing. Yuuri is a familiar shape in the passenger seat next to him. At some point, one of Yuuri’s favorite songs comes on the radio so Viktor turns it up and they sing as loudly as obnoxiously as they can, the wind stealing their laughter right out of their throats.

Yuuri’s hair dances around his face in wispy strands, tangled up in the golden light of the sun. He’s mystical yet earthly; all starlight and sunshine. Soft and solid at the same time, adventure and home rolled up in one. He’s the boy of your dreams but also the boy next door.

He’s Viktor’s favorite contradiction.

A softer song comes on and Viktor turns the volume down, basking in the gentle notes of a love song. Viktor coasts, with the sea stretching out to his left and his heart in the passenger seat.

“This is nice,” Yuuri says suddenly. “It’s nice to just hang out.”

“It is nice,” Viktor says casually, like he hasn’t been hoarding moments with Yuuri like a dragon hoards gold.

“I love spending time with you like this, just the two of us,” Yuuri continues.

Viktor’s heart leaps. It’s now or never. Yuuri sounds so earnest, content to spend the day with Viktor. They kiss and hold hands and basically function like a couple without the label. What’s the harm in asking?

“Yuuri,” Viktor says, clearing his throat a little, “would you… do you ever think that maybe we could be something… more?”

Viktor gulps. He grips the steering wheel so hard his knuckles turn white.

“More?” Yuuri hums, thoughtful. “I’m not sure what you mean by more, but I like what we have now. I like just being with you.”

“Oh,” Viktor tries not to show his disappointment. “Right, I… yeah, okay. Sorry for asking.”

Viktor pulls into the small, dirt parking lot. From here there’s a short hike to the beach. Viktor kills the engine and doesn’t think about how heavy the silence between them is. He’s so _stupid._ Their friendship is great, he shouldn’t have pushed for more. What if things are awkward now?

“Hey,” Yuuri says softly, touching his hand. “Unless… Viktor, are you not happy with the way things are? Do you not like being with me?”

“I love being with you.” _That’s the problem,_ he thinks.

“Then why are you––” Makkachin chooses that moment to wedge his head in between them and bark loudly. She licks Yuuri’s face and nudges him a little, eager to get going.

“Ah, Makka! Okay, we’re going!” Yuuri laughs and gets out of the car, lifting his bag and Vicchan out of the backseat. “Vitya? Coming?”

“Yeah.” Viktor takes a deep breath and pushes down the hurt. It’s okay. He’s going to have a nice day with Yuuri and their dogs and he’s not going to think about how Yuuri rejected him.

Everything’s okay.

(It is, subjectively, a perfect day. The beach isn’t crowded and Vicchan and Makkachin don’t cause too much trouble. They _do_ end up kissing on a beach towel like Viktor imagined. He tries not to be too confused by this, elects instead to just bask in the moment.)

 

 ❤

Someone throws a house party, because it’s a long weekend and their parents are out of town and, apparently, Viktor’s life is a teen movie now. He volunteers himself as designated driver.

(“Isn’t this, like, illegal?” Yuuri asks hesitantly, staring at the beer in his hand. “How did Cao even get this stuff?”

“I mean, the legal drinking age in some parts of Canada is 18,” Phichit reasons, “so, technically we’re all good. Plus, it’s not like you’ve never had a drink before, Yuuri.”

“That’s different,” Yuuri says. “That was with my parents.”

“They know you’re here, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, that’s basically permission.”)

After an hour their little quartet breaks up, Chris and Yuuri heading for the makeshift dance floor and Viktor and Phichit going off to socialize. It’s an alright party, as far as teen house parties go, but Viktor is getting bored very quickly. He’s talking to–– Eric? Erwin? Someone from his math class last year–– when he feels a tap on his shoulder. He turns.

It’s Yuuri.

“Vit _ya_ ,” Yuuri whines, pulling out the last syllable like an elastic band. “Vitya! Vitya, Vitya, Vitya! Look at me!”

Viktor chuckles and turns away from whoever he was talking to, their name and face already forgotten. Yuuri brightens up.

“Yay,” Yuuri cheers softly. He stumbles forward and squishes himself up against Viktor’s chest. “I like it when you’re looking at me.”

“I-I’m always looking at you,” Viktor says, flustered. He doesn’t know what to do with his hands so he goes for the safe option and rests them lightly on Yuuri’s shoulders.

“You’re _not_ .” Yuuri pouts. “You’re so, so… so _popular_ now. I miss it when we were kids and you were a loser. I miss you.”

“Miss me? I’m right here.”

“Yes! You’re right! You _are_ here. With me!” Yuuri grins. “Isn’t that fantastic?”

Viktor thinks back to when they were kids and he and Yuuri would do everything together. Back before essays and exams and debate tournaments. Back before Viktor’s long string of failed relationships and Yuuri’s hours of volleyball practice. When they would lay side by side on the grass next to each other and Viktor wouldn’t be afraid to reach over and take Yuuri’s hand.

“Wow,” Yuuri says, still grinning dopily. “You’re really close.”

Viktor blinks, suddenly snapping back to reality. When did he stop reaching for Yuuri’s hand?

“Your eyes are really blue,” Yuuri informs him. “Did you know? They’re _so_ super duper pretty, Vitya.

When did Yuuri start feeling so far away?

“You’re so pretty, Vitya,” Yuuri slurs, patting his face sloppily. He beams, eyes unfocused, and Viktor just _can’t_ right now.

“I need to get some air,” Viktor says. He snags Chris, who just happened to be walking by, and hands Yuuri off to him. He retreats out to the front porch.

It’s too much. Viktor looks up at the night sky and is hit by a wave of nostalgia. He thinks about how in a couple of months all his friends could be thousands of miles away from him. He thinks about only seeing them on breaks and holidays. He thinks about seeing Yuuri’s smile through his phone screen, until they both get busy and stop calling each other. Because it’s always like that, isn’t it? They’ll have the rest of this year, one more round of adrenaline-tinged debate tournaments and lazy study dates, they’ll have one more perfect, wild, sun-soaked summer, and then nothing. Missed calls and half-hearted text messages.

Viktor wants to go back to the first day they met. He wants to go back to the day his world exploded into color. He wants to relive every birthday and pointless conversation and petty argument. Maybe if he sees it coming this time it won’t hurt so much when he falls in love with Yuuri.

Viktor traces the stars with his eyes and _wants._

After ten minutes of huddling on the back steps of the porch, someone finally finds him. The door to the kitchen opens and spills out a perfect rectangle of light out onto the deck in front of him. He can tell just from the silhouette that it’s Yuuri.

“Vitya, there you are! I’ve been looking for you,” Yuuri says. He plops himself down next to Viktor and bumps their shoulders together. “Hi.”

“Hi,” Viktor says. He turns his face away so Yuuri can’t see how close he was to tears.

Even in his inebriated state, Yuuri picks up on Viktor’s dark mood. “You’re upset. Vitya! You’re upset! What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Viktor says automatically.

“So, it has something to do with me.”

“Why would you think I was upset with you?”

“Because otherwise you would have told me what’s wrong.” Yuuri drops his head onto Viktor’s shoulder. “W-Whatever it is, ’m sorry.”

Viktor sighs. “It’s nothing. It’s just–– you never look at me like this.”

“How am I looking at you right now?”

“Like I’m someone special. Like I’m someone you might love.”

Yuuri frowns. “You _are_ someone I love.”

Viktor shakes his head and laughs, just on this side of bitter. “Not like that, Yuuri.”

“I don’t understand, Vitya,” Yuuri admits, adorably confused.

“It doesn’t matter,” Viktor says. He stands up, dusting off his pants, and offers a hand to Yuuri. “C’mon, I think 7/11 is still open. Wanna go get slushies?”

“Okay. Okay, Vitya, but––” Yuuri takes his hand, intertwining their fingers–– “whatever it is, I hope you know how much I love having you in my life.”

Then he leans up, giggling and uncoordinated, and presses a sweet kiss to Viktor’s cheek.

(Wherever they end up, if it’s across the world or next door to each other, Viktor will always have this moment; he’ll always have this night under the stars with Yuuri cradling his hand gently, his eyes containing entire galaxies.)

 

 ❤

Chris’s great romance with the lead of the school play ends in tragedy when it turns out he’s straight.

“I don’t get it,” Chris sighs dejectedly. “I caught him staring at my butt. On multiple occasions.”

“Of course he was staring. Chris, you have a fantastic ass,” Phichit says. He places a comforting hand on Chris’s shoulder.

They’re currently holed up in Yuuri's room, Yuuri having called an emergency best friends meeting after Chris climbed out of his window and onto the balcony outside of Yuuri's room in nothing but a silk robe and some leftover stage makeup.

“I’ll kill him for you,” Yuuri offers.

Chris gives him a look. “Yuuri, baby, you wouldn't hurt a fly, let alone commit homicide.”

Yuuri balls up his fists. “I––! Okay. You're right, I wouldn’t kill him, but I _can_ send him a strongly worded letter.”

“It's not really his fault,” Chris mutters. “I mean between me and Margaery, I’d pick her too.”

“Okay, bullshit,” Viktor says, “because first of all, you are the most self-centered person I know and there is no way you'd pick Margaery ‘can never hit her marks’ Tyrell over yourself. Secondly, Margaery is cute but she’s also in love with Sansa Stark so. It would never work out between her and–– what was this guys name? Richard?”

“Dick,” Phichit and Yuuri say in unison.

Chris cracks a smile. “Thanks, Vicky, you always know how to insult me and make me feel better.”

Viktor goes to pat Chris’s thigh before he remembers that he isn't wearing anything under that silk robe.

“C’mon, let’s take your mind off it. We can paint our nails and play Super Smash Bros.”

“Do you still have that light blue color you were wearing last week?” Chris asks Yuuri, perking up. “Also, I call dibs on Kirby.”

“Yes to that first part, no to the second,” Yuuri says scowling. “You know Kirby is _my_ main.”

Chris smirks. “If you play Kirby so much why can you never win.”

Viktor snorts and Phichit openly laughs, slinging an arm around Chris.

“Oh, so it's like that?” Yuuri asks, eyebrow raised in challenge.

“It's like that. Think you can take me, Katsuki?”

There's a combative glint in his eye when Yuuri says, “I can take you all night long, Giacometti.”

Phichit wolf whistles. “Careful, Viktor might get jealous.”

“I’m not jealous,” Viktor says.

(He's a little jealous. Mostly flustered because Yuuri is really hot when he's in a competitive mood.)

Halfway through his third round of kicking everyone’s ass, Chris bursts into tears. He slumps sideways and curls up in Phichit’s lap.

“I’m too pretty to be single,” he sobs. “Why does this always happen to me? Am I undatable?”

“Oh, sweetheart, no,” Phichit coos, petting his hair.

“Chris, you are the _most_ datable out of all of us,” Viktor says. “You’ve had tons of boyfriends.”

“Yeah, but they never last! The longest relationship I’ve had was for two weeks, and I was out of town for one of those weeks!”

“Hey, don’t cry,” Yuuri says softly. He shuffles over and lays down so his head is also in Phichit’s lap, pressed up cheek-to-cheek with Chris. “You have time. We’re so young, Chris. Don’t worry about trying to find ‘The One’ in high school.”

Chris sniffs. “That’s easy for you to say. Not all of us are lucky enough to meet our soulmate in the second grade.”

Yuuri catches Viktor’s eye. He smiles hesitantly, but looks away quickly, focusing on rubbing soothing circles into Chris’s hand. Viktor flops over onto Chris’s stomach and the four of them melt into a cuddle puddle.

“It’ll be okay,” Phichit says. “It’s like Taylor Swift always says––”

“ _Don’t,_ ” Yuuri warns.

“Taylor Swift understands the high school struggle in ways you can only _imagine_ , Yuuri,” Phichit says sagely. Chris chuckles wetly.

“Well, between me and Taylor Swift, only one of us is _actually_ in high school.”

“I don’t know,” Viktor says, a slow smirk growing on his face. “Maybe we should do a lyric analysis. I’m feeling a Taylor Swift sing-a-long coming on.”

Yuuri’s heavy sigh of exasperation is drowned out by Chris and Phichit’s loud chants of “T. Swift! T. Swift!” Yuuri eventually concedes and rolls out from under Viktor, reaching for his phone and his speakers.

“Fine,” Yuuri says, plugging in his phone, “but only because it will make Chris happy. And we’re only listening to 1989.”

“You know for someone who claims to not like her, you have a surprising number of her songs in your music library,” Chris teases, tears already forgotten.

“Shut up,” Yuuri says. He grabs Chris’s hands and pulls him into a dance. Phichit jumps up too and pulls in Viktor and suddenly they're all singing Taylor Swift loudly and jumping around Yuuri’s room. It’s a scene straight out of a bad music video, but Viktor doesn’t care.

Yuuri twists to the beat and then turns towards Viktor, reaching for him. Viktor steps into his arms, easy as breathing.

 

 ❤

It’s one of those nights.

Viktor can’t sleep. He tosses and turns, tangles himself in his bedsheets in an attempt to twist his body into a comfortable shape. He feels stiff. Disjointed.

Listless.

It’s three in the morning but that doesn’t stop Viktor from slipping out of his house and driving over to Yuuri’s. He knows immediately that he’s made the right choice coming here because Yuuri’s lights are still on which means he couldn’t sleep either.

Viktor sneaks into Yuuri’s room on muscle memory. He doesn’t really try to be stealthy about it, since Yuuri probably heard the rumble of his engine as he pulled into the driveway and, at this point, Hiroko and Toshiya Katsuki expect Viktor to break into their house _at least_ twice a week.

He flops inelegantly onto Yuuri’s floor. This used to be much easier, back when Viktor was six years younger and a foot and a half shorter. He looks up and Yuuri is leaning back in his desk chair, an amused smirk on his face.

“Hi,” Yuuri says.

“Hi,” Viktor responds.

Yuuri takes in his disheveled, graceless appearance, the bags under his eyes, and how his usual shiny sweep of hair now hangs limply over his eyes. Something in his expression softens.

“Tea?”

“Please.”

Yuuri leads him downstairs by the hand and he doesn’t let go until Viktor is settled on a stool by the counter.

He makes them tea. The quiet clinking of ceramic and the hiss of hot water is a symphony. There’s Yuuri, in the middle of it, sleep warm and beautiful. It’s the kind of domestic scene that makes Viktor’s heartache.

Viktor watches Yuuri potter about the kitchen, grabbing Viktor’s favorite mug and the genmaicha tea that they seem to have an infinite supply of. His shirt rides up when he reaches of the tea on the top shelf of the cabinet. Viktor’s brain short circuits as he takes in the sight, the sliver of skin above the waistband of his pajama pants and the gentle dip at the small of his back as he strains to reach the box of tea. With a jolt, Viktor realizes that Yuuri is wearing one of _his_ shirts, probably one he left here during one of their sleepovers.

There’s a lot that goes unspoken, here, in the midnight quiet of Yuuri’s kitchen while they wait for the water to boil.

Yuuri sets a mug down in front of Viktor. He leans up against the kitchen island. With Viktor sitting on a stool, they’re almost eye level.

“Do you want to tell me what’s on your mind?”

There are a million things Viktor could say here. _I couldn’t sleep because I was thinking about all the different ways I can screw up my life. I missed you so much that I drove to your house in the middle of the night because I couldn’t wait a couple hours to see you in the morning. The only thing that’s holding me up right now is an energy bar and the fear of failure._

Viktor takes a sip of his tea and looks at Yuuri over the rim of his mug. _I’m afraid that if you knew how gone I was over you, you’d run screaming in the other direction._

“Can we just… drink tea, for now? I don’t really want to talk.”

Yuuri nods. “Okay. Hold on a second, I think we have jam in the cupboard.”

Viktor cracks a smile as Yuuri turns away to rummage around for some jam. He thinks it’s cute that Yuuri complains loudly about how gross jam in tea is, but he keeps Viktor’s favorite brand of strawberry jam in his house anyway. He thinks a lot of things about Yuuri are cute.

“Why are you so good to me?” Viktor wonders.

Yuuri looks at him like he’s stupid. “Because I love you, duh.”

Viktor’s breath catches.

“Besides,” Yuuri continues, picking at some imaginary lint on Viktor’s shoulder, “no one else can put up with you. I’m doing a public service.”

He’s smiling fondly when he says it so Viktor knows he’s joking. It’s enough to lift his bad mood. Enough to make him feel warm and fuzzy inside. Just sitting and drinking tea with Yuuri nearby is enough to make Viktor feel a little less like a human trainwreck. His problems feel a little more manageable. Viktor is suddenly exhausted.

Right on cue, Viktor yawns. Yuuri chuckles lightly and gently takes Viktor’s mug from him. When their fingers brush, it’s not accompanied by the usual jolt of electricity. Instead, Viktor just feels warm all over, content. Yuuri washes both of their mugs and then leads them upstairs.

“I should probably go home,” Viktor protests weakly. He yawns again.

“You’re too tired to drive,” Yuuri argues, “and anyway, if you start up your car again you’ll wake up my parents.”

“Okay, well, let me at least take the couch. It’ll be a hassle to pull out the blow up mattress.”

“Oh, um.” Yuuri stops in the middle of his room and looks at Viktor with confusion. “Uh, I wasn’t going to pull out the blow up mattress? I was thinking we would just share my bed.”

“Oh,” Viktor echoes. “Oh. Um.”

“I mean, if you’re not comfortable––”

“No! No, it’s fine! Yes, we can share the bed.” There is no way that Viktor’s throwing this away.

Yuuri smiles at him hesitantly. They get in bed and Yuuri immediately curls up against him, just like he used to when they were kids hiding under the covers after watching a scary film. Yuuri wraps his arms around Viktor and presses a small kiss to his forehead.

Viktor has never felt so loved.

 

 ❤

It’s _prom season,_ to Phichit’s delight and everyone else’s annoyance.

“It’s our last big high school thing, you guys! I’m determined to live the full prom experience.”

Phichit collapses down into the seat next to Yuuri at their usual table in the cafeteria. He’s been talking about prom nonstop since they announced the theme and venue for it about a week ago. Viktor exchanges eye rolls with Yuuri and goes back to tucking into his sandwich.

“What, drinking shitty spiked punch and ‘leaving enough room for Jesus’ when we dance?” Chris snorts.

“Prom is always _magical_ ,” Phichit insists. He catches Yuuri looking away and corrects himself. “ _Senior prom_ will be magical. Much better than junior prom.”

Viktor grits his teeth. God, junior prom was a disaster. Yuuri was dating Kevin, a recent transfer student, who dramatically broke up with him in the middle of the dancefloor after declaring that Yuuri was ‘too high strung’ for him and that he needed a boyfriend who could ‘relax every once and awhile.’

Kevin has since been dubbed ‘The Dickwad.”

That night was the worst. Viktor searched for ages before he found Yuuri crying in an empty computer lab, his sobs echoing hollowly in dead quiet. It was then, standing in the doorway and looking at Yuuri curled up in a shitty plastic chair, his shoulders shaking and face blotchy, that Viktor realized just how much he loved him. Viktor wrapped his suit jacket around Yuuri’s shoulders and they left the dance early to eat McDonald’s in Viktor’s car, parked in an empty parking lot with the windows down and the radio up as loud as it would go.

A week after that, Kevin came to school to find that someone had broken into his locker and stuffed 200 live earthworms into it.

Yuri denies it, but Viktor knows that it was him, just like he knows Phichit helped him collect the earthworms.

Yuuri, of course, rescued the worms and released them back into the wild. Viktor has no idea how Kevin could think that Katsuki Yuuri was anything _but_ perfect.

Anyway, Viktor is determined to give Yuuri a positive prom experience this year. Yuuri deserves a magical night. He deserves to be held gently, to be swept across the floor to the beat of the sappiest top 40 love song. Yuuri deserves all of that, and Viktor wants to be the one to give it to him.

(He’s not going to lie, Viktor’s been dreaming of being crowned senior prom king since he was eleven and he really, _really_ wants to slow dance with Yuuri wearing the cheap, plastic crowns.)

Viktor blinks, pulling himself back to the present where Phichit is still going off about suit colors. Yuuri’s trying to talk him out of a hot pink sequined number that he saw at the mall the other day.

“Phichit, trust me. Either go sequined or go hot pink. You can’t do both.”

“That’s bullshit,” Chris says, “do both, Phichit. Don’t let Yuuri ‘my entire wardrobe is in different shades of blue’ Katsuki tell you what’s fashionable.”

“I’d just like to remind you, before you take fashion advice from Chris,” Viktor cuts in “Chris owns leggings patterned with unicorn cats. Unicats? What a disgrace.”

They spend the rest of lunch arguing over who, out of their group, is the most fashionable.

It’s obviously Viktor.

 

Viktor finally works up the nerve a couple days later, lounging around lazily on Yuuri's bed.

“So,” he starts, aiming for casual but missing by a mile. “Have you… heard of prom?”

Yuuri looks at him, a smirk on his face. “Have I heard of prom? Oh, you mean that thing that literally _no one_ will shut up about? The thing on all the posters and banners on school? The one they’ve announced ticket sales for over the morning announcements every day?”

“Y-Yeah, um… that,” Viktor says lamely. He’s already losing his nerve, maybe he shouldn’t bother asking.

No. No, he can’t back down now. Yuuri deserves a great prom night and what’s the harm in trying just one more time? Who knows, maybe Yuuri will decide to give Viktor a chance. It’s worth a shot. He squares his shoulders.

“Yuuri Katsuki––”

“Viktor Nikiforov,” Yuuri interrupts with a teasing smile. Viktor glares.

“Shut up, I’m trying to be romantic. Um. Yuuri Katsuki, would you go to prom with me? Like, as my date?”

Yuuri beams at him. Viktor has the distinct impression that he’s laughing at him.

“You’re so cute, Vitya,” Yuuri says, rolling on the bed until he and Viktor are nose and nose. “You’re being so formal, it’s not a marriage proposal. Of course I’ll go to prom with you.”

Viktor blinks, stunned. “Really?”

“Yeah, but to be honest, I kind of thought we were already going together. Like isn’t it an unspoken rule that couples go together? I know we’ve only been dating for a month but I thought it was a given.”

Um.

What.

“We’ve been _what_?!”

“Dating,” Yuuri says slowly. “You know, going out? Boyfriends? I’m not sure what term you prefer, but––”

Viktor’s head reels. Yuuri just said they were dating? For the past month? Nothing makes sense. He sits up and looks down at Yuuri.

Viktor repeats, “What?”

“What?”

Yuuri sits up too. Hei peers up at Viktor with wide eyes, eyebrows scrunched up in confusion. His mouth is pulled down into a frown, lower lip wobbling slightly. Viktor would think he was adorable if he wasn’t currently freaking out because, apparently, he’s been dating his ‘unrequited crush’ for the past month and he _didn’t know._

“I––” Viktor clears his throat–– “uh, I didn’t know that we were dating?”

Yuuri stares at him.

“You… you didn’t know?”

“N-No.”

“Oh my god,” Yuuri breaks eye contact and sits up, the crease in his brow deepening. “I–– You didn’t know we were dating? This past month wasn’t–– Oh my god.”

Yuuri’s gaze snaps back to Viktor’s. “I am _so sorry_.”

“ _Sorry_?” Viktor echoes. “Sorry for what?”

“I am _such_ a bad person! I forced you into a situation that you didn’t want. Oh no, everyone thinks we’re together. My parents and your moms and Yuri and all our friends think we’re dating! And you don’t feel that way about me.”

Yuuri runs a hand through his hair. He looks distraught.

“I’m so, so sorry, Vitya,” Yuuri finishes, his eyes searching Viktor’s face desperately. “Please tell me we can still be friends?”

“I don’t want to be friends,” Viktor says automatically.

Yuuri crumbles.

“Oh,” he says, swallowing thickly. “Oh, okay. Okay, yeah, I-I understand. Of course you don’t want to be friends anymore, I’ll just go. I’m sorry.”

_Wait, no._

“Yuuri, wait! That’s not––” Viktor breaks himself off with a humorless laugh. “Amazing. I finally get a chance and I’m screwing it all up.”

Viktor reaches out to take Yuuri’s hand, slow so that Yuuri can pull away if he wants to. He curls his fingers around Yuuri’s and sweeps his thumb soothingly across his knuckles. Yuuri’s breath hitches.

“It seems like we’re very bad at communicating,” Viktor notes wryly. “Can we try again? From the top?”

“Okay. From the top.” Yuuri sits back down on the bed. “So, from my perspective, I asked you out a month ago and you said yes. Our first date was at the movies and since then we’ve gone on a couple other dates. I mean, I thought they were all very romantic, but I guess not?”

Now that Viktor thinks about it, a candlelit dinner isn’t something you usually do with a friend.

“What about the flirting?” Yuuri asks. “I flirt with you a lot.”

“You don’t flirt with me,” Viktor says.

“Yes, I do!”

“Believe me, Yuuri, I would _know_ if you were flirting with me.” Viktor has spent most of his life analyzing everything that Yuuri says to him, looking for even the slightest hint of romantic intention. He would know.

Yuuri’s face scrunches up. “Okay, maybe I’m bad at flirting but what about the hand holding?”

“You hold hands with Phichit,” Viktor points out.

“That’s different!” Yuuri waves a hand. Viktor shakes his head in disbelief.

“I’ve asked you if you wanted to date. I asked you like a million times and you kept rejecting me!”

“Well, I probably misunderstood, considering I thought we were _already_ dating!”

Yuuri sighs, frustrated.

“We kiss! I kiss you all the time!” He says.

“Yes, the kissing!” Viktor exclaims. “Do you know how confused I was about that? I thought it was, like, a friends–with–kissing–benefits kind of thing.”

“Friends–with–– Viktor, come _on_ ,” Yuuri says incredulously.

“You never kissed me in front of anyone else. It was always in the car or in your room. You dragged me into the janitor’s closet once. I thought it was supposed to be a secret.”

“I’m shy! And I thought PDA made you uncomfortable!”

Viktor gapes. “For future reference, I don't mind PDA.”

Yuuri stops.

“Future reference?”

“Yes?” Viktor asks nervously. “If it's still on the table? Do you still want to date me?”

Now it's Yuuri's turn to look shocked. “I mean yeah, but did you even want to date me in the first place?”

“Yuuri, I want to _marry_ you one day,” Viktor blurts out. He can't bring himself to feel embarrassed. “I want to raise dogs with you.”

Yuuri squeaks.

“Okay, not now, obviously,” Viktor backpedals. He can feel himself blushing. “We obviously have some communication problems. But, I mean. I did technically propose to you in the second grade, with a Ringpop, so. Um, yeah.”

Yuuri stares at him for a long time and Viktor thinks that he might have just killed their relationship before it even started. That’s what he gets for being overeager.

Then Yuuri bursts into laughter.

“ _Vitya_ , oh my god.” He tips forward and leans into Viktor’s chest, burying his face there.

“What’s so funny?” Viktor asks, mildly annoyed but mostly just glad that Yuuri isn’t running out the door again.

“Y-you are,” Yuuri snorts. “You just–– you’re so precious, you didn’t notice we were dating for an entire month, and then you trip all over yourself trying to clear things up, and _then_ , five seconds after confirming we are, in fact, dating, you propose?”

Viktor pouts but Yuuri’s laughter is contagious. “Yuu _ri_ , stop making fun of me.”

“Vitya, you’re a trainwreck,” Yuuri chuckles, pulling back so he can look at Viktor’s face.

“ _Your_ trainwreck?” Viktor asks hopefully.

“ _My_ trainwreck,” Yuuri reassures. And then he’s kissing him so soft and reverent that it makes Viktor’s head spin. After a moment, Yuuri pulls back.

“Just to clarify, you’re my boyfriend, right?”

“Yes.” Viktor leans back in but Yuuri stops him.

“As in, we’re dating?”

“Yes, dating.” He moves in for another kiss but Yuuri turns his head so Viktor’s lips meet his cheek.

“And we’re going to prom together? As a couple?”

Viktor groans. “Yuuri, yes, yes we’re dating and yes we’re going to prom together and _yes_ I’m an idiot for not realizing, now will you just kiss me again?”

Yuuri presses a chaste kiss to his lips and then tackles him backward onto the bed, curling up like a cat on his chest. Viktor giggles. This is so surreal. Yuuri Katsuki, his _boyfriend_ , is cuddled up to him, giggling and intertwining their fingers.

“So, our first date was that time we watched Captain America together? I was wondering why you insisted on paying for my ticket.”

“I don’t know how you didn’t know it was a date,” Yuuri says, a bit miffed, “I was so nervous.”

“You’re always nervous! How was I supposed to know you were nervous because it was a date?”

“That was my first date, Vitya. Ever. And you didn’t even know it was a date!”

“I’ll make it up to you,” Viktor promises. “I’ll take you out tomorrow and we can pretend that it’s our first date. I’ll take you out on a hundred more dates.”

Yuuri’s mock hurt expression melts into a grin. He snuggles further into Viktor’s embrace.

“You better spoil me rotten,” he says, tilting his head so he can kiss the underside of Viktor’s jaw, “or I’ll never forgive you for _not noticing_ that we’re dating.”

“ _Yuuri_ ,” Viktor whines, “I already said I was sorry! Stop teasing me!”

Yuuri giggles again, burying his face in the crook of Viktor’s neck. Viktor opens his mouth to complain some more but Yuuri distracts him by leaning up and pressing their mouths together sweetly. He brings his hands up to cradle Viktor’s face, reverently, and Viktor melts.

Falling in love with Katsuki Yuuri is absolutely, one-hundred-percent, without a doubt, the _best_ thing that Viktor has ever done.

 

**Author's Note:**

> thank you so much for reading!!
> 
> very special thanks to:  
> •[citricsapphic](http://citricsapphic.tumblr.com/) and [fae](http://wizardmafianinjapirate.tumblr.com//) for answering my questions about speech and debate!!  
> •[jackie](http://jackcatmeow.tumblr.com/) for being the best beta <33
> 
> Translation Notes:  
> dorogaya moya: darling  
> solnyshko: little sun  
> kotyonok: kitten  
> (please let me know if i got any of these wrong!!) 
> 
> As always, i'm [xyloophones](https://xyloophones.tumblr.com/) on tumblr and [@_xylophones](https://twitter.com/_xylophones) on twitter!! come say hi or send me a request/ prompt!!
> 
> EDIT (Aug 31, 2017): i wrote a small drabble that serves as a kind of epilogue and you can find that [on tumblr here](https://xyloophones.tumblr.com/post/163033122913/help-i-need-to-know-volleyball-yuuri-did)


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